Al-Qaeda Is Still Worst Terrorist Threat: US

Safe havens in Pakistan have helped group recharge
By Nick McMaster,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 30, 2008 4:21 PM CDT
Al-Qaeda Is Still Worst Terrorist Threat: US
Pakistani paramilitary policemen take a break from the wet weather in their tent while guarding a street Thursday Jan. 17, 2008 on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan.   (AP Photo/Ed Wray)

Al-Qaeda remains the terrorist group that most threatens the US, Reuters reports. An annual State Department survey of worldwide terrorist activity, out today, said the group killed 5,400 civilians—50% Muslims—in 2007. Though weaker now than in 2001 due to multilateral anti-terrorism efforts, the group has used the lawless tribal areas of northwest Pakistan to rebuild its strength.

  • The number of worldwide terrorist attacks last year fell to 14,499 from 14,570 in 2006, but the attacks got more deadly, claiming 22,685 lives, as opposed to 20,872 in 2006.
  • Iraq remains the epicenter of jihad, accounting for 45% of all worldwide terrorist incidents and 60% of fatalities in 2007.
  • Last year, Pakistan saw an 100% increase in terrorist incidents from 2006.
(More Pakistan stories.)

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